Middle East TOurism

[ke gordon]

How can the Middle East prove that they are a safe enough area for tourists to visit? Whenever I hear about someone going to the Middle East for pleasure, I get worried for their safety. What can these areas do to show that visiting is as safe as traveling to other comparable reasons for tourism? It does seem in general few tourist groups are attacked as they tour the Holyland or the pyramids for instance.

 

[Scorpion]

Go to any ME countries except Iraq, Syria and Yemen. The rest are safe.

 

[crimsonghost747]

It's more about the image that the media gives you than about the actual danger. I've visited quite a few middle eastern countries and in general the security is ok... sometimes even better than in western countries. (for example in the UAE)

There are obviously some dangerous countries in there but just stay away from those and you should be ok.

 

[Corzhens]

We have plans of going to Dubai because many friends are working there and we usually get invitations from them. And there is an airline here that sells promo tickets at times. However, we are not lucky to chance upon that promo until now. What we got is a trip to Vietnam this September. By the way, Dubai is an open country, as they say, and so beautiful and clean. As for the security, we haven't heard of anything negative.

 

[Psyche]

As a single woman what middle east country do I really feel I can go to and have a genuine experience of being in that nation that is safe and comfortable?

From the point of view of a regular leisure traveler who has never actively researched Middle East destinations, nothing springs to mind.

Given my profile of traveling alone, and wanting to go to location where I can walk around town alone and feel safe and welcome, I am open to suggestions.

 

[Susimi]

Stay away from the known danger areas and you should be OK. Obviously Tunisia's tourist image has taken a very big hit due to recent events and I would be quite sceptical about Egypt at the moment. I'd say places like Dubai and UAE should be OK places to holiday at.

 

[Psyche]

Having been to Egypt it did not meet my traveling requirements a few years a go, and has probably not got any better since. As a woman alone you are not safe in most cities, and even inside the compound of a major hotel catering to Westerners I was propositioned aggressively for sex by men who think all western women are promiscuous, and the waiter would not serve me coffee because I was a woman.

I go on holiday to relax and have a good experience, I am not an adventurous traveler who will just shrug and say "that is how it is here". But I suspect the majority of tourists are more or less in my camp. We want to feel safe and have fun.